Wow - the NEA is about to tear George Bush a new you-know-what!

[JailBush]

Just joking. The teachers union that stabbed me and my students in the back for 16 years is behaving no differently than rank-and-file Democrats.

If you visit the NEA's website at http://www.nea.org/, you'll see George Bush's name mentioned once, with a link to the "President's Viewpoint." The Viewpoint page has links to a number of views that are simply underwhelming. The NEA takes a token stand against school choice. It takes a token stand against high-stakes testing. Everything is tokenism - blah, blah, blah.

If these people really wanted to change things - if they REALLY cared about kids - they'd be speaking out with the conviction that had presidential candidate Bob Dole fired up when he blasted teachers unions. I've never voted for a Republican presidential candidate, but that was possibly the single best statement I've ever heard from a presidential candidate representing any party.

Considering the traditional animosity between conservatives and teachers unions and George Bush's reputation for destroying everything he doesn't like, I expected World War III to be a battle between the NEA and Bush.

Yeah, right. How many times have you heard Bush criticize the NEA? When has the NEA ever spoken out against Bush with a passion? Why aren't the NEA's "autonomous affiliates," like the corrupt Washington and Seattle Education Associations urging teachers and parents to BOYCOTT high-stakes tests and Bush's Leave No Child Alive Act?

It's because the NEA's mission has evolved into stabbing teachers and parents in the back and helping corporations exploit children, largely by begging for more money without accountability, which is increasingly funneled into corporate pockets.

Way to go, NEA!

[jbfam4]

1. just a thought

He needs a new one since he is talking out of the other one. LOL

[9119495]

2. I'm NEA

and we tend to handle things on a state level. It helps keep the system thankfully decentralized. States make their moves against the pres but even those are muted to keep the republicans in the system. We'll get him at election time. We're waiting to see how many of our schools are considered failing by his assinine standard.

[Uzybone]

3. the NEA

is seen my most Amerimorons as the people who are "standing in the way" of better schools. Some people even see them as worse. Remember that flap over the NEA site having a link to an essay where people are asked to ask why we were attacked on 9/11? These facists on the right have so poisoned American minds that they cant even see thier left from right. Im sure the NEA will bare thier fangs during the GE.

[commander bunnypants]

4. It is gonna be difficult

after all he is just one big walking asshole. Bad visual Bad visual

DDQM

[JailBush]

5. Thoughts

9119495 wrote, "I'm NEA and we tend to handle things on a state level. It helps keep the system thankfully decentralized. States make their moves against the pres but even those are muted to keep the republicans in the system."

OK, so teachers unions hold their fire on Bush to hang on to their conservative members. But what about Bush policies that are hurting children? For that matter, what about Clinton's Goals 2000, which was another nightmare? Remember, high-stakes tests began on Clinton's watch, not Bush's.

"We'll get him at election time. We're waiting to see how many of our schools are considered failing by his assinine standard."

That sounds like the Democratic Party's new motto: "We'll spring into action at election time." Schools are hurting NOW, and schools have been failing at the hands of the establishment's "education reform" for generations.

I spent sixteen years in education, and neither the NEA, state WEA or local Seattle Education Association did much, if anything, to help me or my students. In fact, the WEA was an anchor around our necks - possibly the most aligned teachers union in the nation - and even many of my colleauges (few of whom have a clue about politics) recognized the fact that the Seattle Education Association was in bed with the Seattle School Board (and, thus, corporations) long ago.


Uzybone wrote, "The NEA is seen my most Amerimorons as the people who are 'standing in the way' of better schools."

Yes, that's how grassroots right-wing morons view the NEA. Grassroots liberal morons view it as protecting schools from conservatives. In fact, schools have ALREADY BEEN EFFECTIVELY PRIVATIZED by corporations working with both Republicans and Democrats.

"Some people even see them as worse. Remember that flap over the NEA site having a link to an essay where people are asked to ask why we were attacked on 9/11?"

That's one of the few good things NEA has done - and right-wingers reacted very predictably. But what's NEA's PRIMARY MISSION? Supporting teachers and, by extension, parents and children. In this respect, they've failed miserably. NEA affiliates tirelessly cheerlead for school levies, but they're nowhere to be found when corrupt school officials illegally divert or embezzle levy dollars. Teacher bashing is a national phenomenon, yet most Americans don't even recognize it exists - and you won't get many clues from the NEA. What does the NEA have to say about corrupt school officials, including "carpetbagging superintendents"? Nada.

The Seattle Education Association and its state affiliate have passed token resolutions against the WASL, our high-stakes test. Big deal; just more rhetoric. I've run for public office three times, publicizing major education issues, and the teachers union has always rallied with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, helping to divert attention from real issues, endorsing corrupt candidates, and on and on.

"Im sure the NEA will bare thier fangs during the GE."

Maybe. And after the election, I'm sure it will once again fall in line behind its corporate masters.